


Hope

by nerdlife4eva



Series: Nerd's Phichit Zine Series [10]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Memories, Promises, Reunions, Series Finale, Zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-07 23:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15918036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/pseuds/nerdlife4eva
Summary: Phichit and Yuuri return to Detroit to honor Phichit's favorite patient.





	Hope

**Author's Note:**

> This is my piece which appeared in the [Thailand's Future zine](https://phichitzine.tumblr.com) and I am really grateful I get to post this today. I love this piece, actually I love this whole series, and I want to say a huge thank you to every single person who supported it. It is hard to gain followers/supporters for a series that concentrates on friendship and I love everyone who decided to give this a chance. 
> 
> The art for this piece was created by Heilariart and you can see the preview [here](https://n3rdlif343va.tumblr.com/post/170324297669/heilariart-and-heres-my-preview-for-the) and eventually the full piece will be uploaded! 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who purchased this zine and supported this project!!

Exhaustion was still seeping into Phichit’s mind as he slid into the back of the car, feeling Yuuri settle next to him. He had never been so thankful for the app that allowed him to give the driver the address of their destination and pay the man without the need to speak. It wasn’t often that Phichit was at a loss for words, but his voice had been mostly absent over the morning hours.

A picture, small and love-worn, was clutched in his left hand. Running his thumb over the image, he felt the emotions catch in the back of his throat, barely looking up when Yuuri squeezed his hand. The rarity of traveling with his best friend was a positive, and Phichit knew that Victor had understood without question why this trip was important for them to take alone.

City buildings passed the windows in a blur, the heat of the summer sun warming the car windows as the air conditioning kept them cool. Stomach clenching, Phichit peered down at the picture in his hand, swallowing hard to suppress the tears. Another squeeze around his fingers was Yuuri’s form of silent reassurance.

Closing his eyes, Phichit let his head drop against the back of the seat. It had been two years since he had been here, and despite the phone calls and Skype sessions, there was still a sense of guilt settling in his stomach.

Tucking the picture back into his breast pocket, Phichit closed his eyes, letting the memories take over as the car continued to roll toward their final destination.

* * *

 

Most of the moments Phichit spent with Hope were quiet. When they did talk, it was in small spurts, usually punctuated by small jokes and teasing remarks. Slowly their relationship built and even on the harshest of her treatment days, Phichit could still see the faint smile fighting to take its place on her face.

He had discovered Hope’s love for puzzles on a rainy day at the end of April. Yuuri was in the middle of a kid pile in the common room, with the first of the Harry Potter movies playing on the TV that they had donated to the room. Noting that Hope was the only child missing, Phichit had made his way down the hallway, brand new Wonder Woman puzzle clutched in his hands.

Hope’s wicked sense of humor, shown through quick quips and sarcastic remarks, was far beyond her years. At ten she could already banter better than most of the skaters Phichit trained with, and he always left her company with new ways to burn his rink mates. She had a way of making no mercy observations on the world and Phichit loved every minute of the time he spent with her.

“Hey, sunshine,” Phichit called, rapping on the door lightly with his knuckle and hearing the responding scoff. Walking around the corner, he caught the last second of Hope’s eye roll. “If you’re in a mood, we don’t have to do this really awesome Wonder Woman puzzle.” He waved the puzzle back and forth, chuckling again when Hope narrowed her eyes in his direction.

“Fine, rain cloud, I’ll do your puzzle.” Her smile was stronger as she pressed the button to raise the back of her hospital bed. Settling back against the pillow, Hope watched as Phichit pulled a chair over dropping the box onto the rolling tray. “Think you can keep up, old man?” she quipped, pulling the lid from the box and dumping the pieces onto the tray.

A sound from Phichit’s pocket distracted him before he could retort. Pulling out his phone, he silenced the call, sending a quick text to his sister. Before he could tuck it away, another call came in. He silenced the second one, slipping the phone into his pocket. Returning his attention to Hope and the puzzle, he found her looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Aren’t you more popular than normal today,” she spoke with a tone of slight interest, eyes moving immediately to the pieces in front of her instead of remaining on Phichit.

“Ah, well… tomorrow is my birthday,” Phichit shrugged, snapping together two pieces, “but I have class and training so I’ll talk to my family later.” He snuck a look at Hope, finding her fiddling with a piece of the puzzle, her forehead wrinkled in thought. As fast as the look had come, it disappeared, replaced by a determined set of Hope’s jaw as she concentrated on the puzzle. “My family is really far away too,” Phichit added, seeing Hope nod as she idly spun cardboard pieces across the fake wood table. “They are all in Thailand, I didn’t see them for almost two years.” It was a reality for most skaters, but it was still the one part of Phichit’s career that he hated.

“I haven’t seen my family since I came here.” Not looking up, Hope carefully arranged a completed corner of the puzzle. “My medical bills are really expensive and my little sisters have school, so I had to come by myself.” Phichit forced himself to continue to work, holding his tongue to allow Hope the freedom to speak without interruption. “I was okay with it… I mean I didn’t have a choice, but I was okay. I didn’t think I would still be here for my birthday though.”

The connection clicked in Phichit’s mind. Hope’s birthday was a week after his own, meaning that she would inevitably be confined to the drab walls of her room instead of celebrating. Choosing his words carefully, Phichit nudged a piece toward her. “You know, you could have a birthday party here. Any theme you want.”

“It’s okay,” Hope said with a shrug, “I’m not getting my hopes up that my birthday will be any good. I guess I should just be glad I get to have one, even if it’s my last one.”

Fingers stalling, Phichit felt the reality of her statement slam into his heart. Not willing to let doubt for the future crept in, he nudged her gently with his elbow. “Hey, you gotta have hope, you gotta live up to your name!”

Rolling her eyes, Hope replied, “I am completely aware of the irony of my own name, thank you very much.” She was completely deadpan, a smirk sneaking over her lips as she nudged Phichit back. “Look, are you going to help or not? Because I have done at least three quarters of the work on this thing.” Waving a hand toward the puzzle, she changed the subject with a teasing glance in Phichit’s direction.

“Sometimes, I completely forget that you’re ten, you know that?” Gently pinching Hope’s cheek, Phichit felt the mood lighten as she giggled.

For the rest of the afternoon they worked in silence, trading pieces without words, slowly creating a picture from the 300 scattered pieces. Against the window the rain pattered, a rhythm in contrast to the mechanic beat of Hope’s oxygen. While the pieces of the puzzle came together in front of them, the pieces of Phichit’s plan were snapping together in his mind. Even if modern science and miracles combined to give Hope one hundred more birthdays, her eleventh was going to be one she would never forget.

* * *

 

“Phichit… breathe!” Yuuri commanded, grabbing Phichit’s shoulders and shaking him. “Everything is going to work out. The room is decorated and I’m going to go to the cafeteria now. All you have to do is open all the plates and get the birthday girl down here in time for the surprise.” Wrapping him in a fierce hug, Yuuri held Phichit close. “You did good, P. This is wonderful. Everything is going to be perfect, I promise.” With one more squeeze, Yuuri sprinted toward the elevators, waving over his shoulder as he went.

Placing his hands on his hips, Phichit did one last survey of the room. There was a life size cutout of Wonder Woman standing on one side and all of the cloth furniture had been stored in the nurses’ lounge, replaced with the metal chairs from the cafeteria. These chairs were easier to clean and sanitize, and Phichit had watched the housekeeping staff with a close eye as each chair was treated. Covering the back of each one were paper covers, decorated with Wonder Woman’s symbol.

There were streamers hanging from the ceiling, a feat that Phichit would never repeat as Yuuri’s clumsiness had been the source of many tiny panic attacks throughout the morning. Red, yellow and blue balloons were in bunches in each corner, taped to the walls because of the helium use restrictions. Taking a shaky breath, Phichit walked to the table full of plastic crown favors and bingo cards. They were playing games that would not require Hope to walk and then they would be watching Wonder Woman on the big screen in the family visiting room. There was already a small pile of presents stacked in the corner and Phichit smiled knowing that the other kid’s would be adding they own little handmade gifts as soon as they arrived.

None of the little details compared to the real surprise in store.

Repressing the nagging tears that had been threatening him for two days, Phichit took a shaky breath, picking up the first pile of plates to strip them of their plastic. He had spent a week contacting his sponsors and feeling out which one would be able to help in his quest to give Hope the perfect birthday party. Three days ago he had received the offer from one of them to fund the plane tickets for Hope’s family. Four hours after that call, he had received the news that the hotel closest to the hospital was going to offer them lodging for free. His skating family had offered to put together a basket of food and gift cards to help with the expenses of eating while traveling and his favorite Uber driver had offered to provide the family transportation while they were in town. Phichit’s tears of happiness had been plentiful over the past few days, and he took a minute to count backwards to calm himself so that he wouldn’t go for another round.

“Hey,” Nurse Ann stuck her head in the door, smiling brightly at Phichit, “they’re here!” Stepping back, she waved an arm to reveal Hope’s family.

“Me too!” Yuuri called from behind them, flushing as they parted to let him by with the cake.

“All we need is the birthday girl,” Nurse Ann clapped her hands, bouncing on her toes in her excitement. “You ready?”

Phichit felt his breathing become shaky again, taking a step forward toward Hope’s family to introduce himself. After a quick round of hugs, and many, many thank yous, Phichit headed down the hallway to retrieve the guest of honor.

“It’s your fault I have to wear this,” Hope called before Phichit could knock on the door, “I know it is!” Laughing he rounded the corner to find her sitting up in her bed, the Wonder Woman t-shirt and pajama pants hanging loosely around her tiny frame. “I swear, if you are planning to embarrass me…” She trailed off as Phichit held up another surprise. “Is that what I think it is?” Hope eyed the blue and red clothe suspiciously, laughing as she grabbed her hamster.

“Every superhero needs a matching sidekick,” Phichit laughed, handing over the hamster’s matching costume, trying to withhold his desire to comment on how eagerly Hope stuffed her plushie into the stuffed animal sized bodice. Once she proudly held up her friend for Phichit’s approval, he took another step toward her. “Today, you get to leave this room for a bit. And if you want, I’ll carry you so you don’t have to use that blasted wheelchair.” He felt the tears prickle his eyes again as her arms lifted.

“You can carry me, if you don’t cry, you big baby,” Hope giggled as Phichit threatened to tickle her side.

For a moment, Phichit was taken back by how light she was, alarmed at how easy it was to lift her. In his mind she was a child so full of life, that there were times he had the luxury of forgetting how sick she was. Holding the fragile body against his own, Phichit forced himself to think only of the next few hours. “Alright, close your eyes.” When she raised an eyebrow at him, adjusting her hamster so she could wrap an arm around Phichit’s shoulders, he laughed. “You have to trust me, okay? When have I ever done anything bad?”

“Besides these kiddie pjs?” Hope asked, lifting her hamster to bop Phichit on the side of his face. Rolling her eyes again, she finally conceded his request, closing her eyes while still maintaining the sassy look on her face. “Take me away, Hamster Boy!” she commanded, laughing along with Phichit as they made their way down the hallway.

* * *

 

Phichit remembered every second of that moment. He remembered the way his ears rang when Hope shouted, spotting her family as they rushed forward to hug her. He remembered the sound of her laughter, filling the room in a way that he had never heard it. He remembered the quiet way she had whispered “I love you, old man,” against his chest, as he had carried her back to her room, tired but happy with the knowledge that her family would be there the next day.

He also remembered the day he told her he was moving back to Thailand. In the way she always quietly accepted everything in her life, she had given him a soft smile and wished him luck. She made him promise that he would win a gold medal while she was still around to watch him do it. Only a single tear had escaped her, which she wiped away with a determined swipe of her hand. She was the bravest person who Phichit had ever met, and he told her so, every time he had talked to her on the phone.

Opening his eyes, Phichit retrieved the picture from his pocket. It was taken on the day he had gone to say goodbye to her, her tiny body clad in her favorite pajamas with her Wonder Woman hamster clutched in her arms. The hamster scrubs Phichit wore had been a birthday present from Hope’s family, and the hiccup caught in his throat as he remembered her excited smile when she had handed him the childishly wrapped package. 

The car rolled to a stop, the silence becoming heavier as Yuuri leaned forward to thank their driver, pushing Phichit’s arm to encourage him out of the door. Pulling the gold medal out of his pocket, Phichit took one last shaky breath, stepping out onto the road.

“Hey, old man,” came the sassy voice from the middle of a lawn to their right, “you’re late.”

Rounding the car at a run, Phichit sprinted up the small hill grabbing the child into his arms and swinging her in circles. Hope was no longer frail, her body more solid in his arms than he could ever remember it being. The red fuzz on her head was adorned with a single bow and the skirt of her dress fluttered around them as her laughter erupted. Carefully placing her back on her feet, Phichit knelt down in front of her. “Don’t go proposing,” she shot a look over Phichit’s shoulder to throw a knowing look in Yuuri’s direction, giggling when he flushed. “I’m too pretty for you.”

“Agreed.” Tears pouring down his face, Phichit shook his head as he laughed. “I have something gold that is way better than a ring.” Ignoring Yuuri’s scoff, Phichit lifted the medal in his hands. Slipping the ribbon around Hope’s neck, Phichit let the gold medal hang there. “This is for you. You’re my hero, Hope. And a promise is a promise.”

With matching tears, Hope threw her arms around Phichit, pulling him into a hug. “Thank you, Phichit. For everything.”

And in that moment, Phichit knew that if he never won another medal, if he never competed in another competition, he had already won the best moment in his life.

**Author's Note:**

> Please consider checking out my other YOI works which you can find [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/works?fandom_id=11444638) and if you want to come talk YOI or anything else with me, please come find me on Tumblr or Twitter!  
> [NeRdLife4Eva](https://twitter.com/NeRdLife4Eva)  
> [n3rdlif343va](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/n3rdlif343va)
> 
> And huge THANK YOU to [atelerixe](https://atelerixe.tumblr.com) for surviving the zine process with this very nervous nerd!!


End file.
